After a long and hard battle (and switching to a new host), we seem to have solved our security problems. Our email is still a little shaky, but if you need to talk to us please call our office 617-542-2453.

Thank you for your patience while we were dealing with this very frustrating problem.

We are currently dealing with some security issues, you may notice that Google and other search engines are telling you that this site may be serving Malware, or contain a virus.

Our host (network solutions) has been experiencing security breaches, that have led to our site being attacked. We are currently working on the problem. In the mean time please have patience, and contact our office by phone if you need anything

617-542-2453.

We appreciate your patience in this matter, and we will have this fixed ASAP.

Here's another great story from our And I Ride campaign! We are seeking to put a face on cycling in support of a legislative campaign that we are working on this year. You can read the rest of these great bicyclist bios here.

We are still accepting entries, so be sure to read below to find out how to send in your story.

Our next story comes from Cynthia.

Where I Ride: Boston, toured in: Wisconsin, Maine, Pacific north west How Often I Ride: Virtually every day

My Story:

Of course we didn't wait for retirement to ride our bikes; we've been car free for many years, so biking has been our chief mode for getting around town, for recreation and for traveling. We love our recumbent bikes (including the tandem) and we enjoy riding with friends on weekends around Boston and surrounding areas. We also enjoy traveling by train and bicycle. Every year we put our bikes on the train and ride to Wisconsin or the Pacific Northwest. An advantage of retirement is that we can take long trips. We've been over the North Cascades in Washington, all over the state of Wisconsin (a great place to bike), and this year we'll be riding up the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon and later across Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Thanks Cynthia!

We want to hear your story. Tell us about yourself and how bicycling is a part of your life. Just copy and paste the form below into an email, fill it in, and send it to shane@massbike.org.

Name:

Email:

Where You Ride:

How Often You Ride:

Your Profession/Relation/Title (lawyer, nurse, Grandma, son, etc):

A picture of you on your bicycle, or you in your daily life (be sure we can see your face):

At a meeting of the Regional Transportation Advisory Council this week, Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Jeff Mullan announced some good news, and some potentially not-so-good news, for bicyclists and pedestrians.

First, the good news: Secretary Mullan said clearly that MassDOT will take responsibility for Charles Circle, the horrendous intersection where the Longfellow Bridge enters Boston. Advocates have been complaining about the dangers of this chaotic intersection for years, but none of the four agencies with an interest in the intersection (MassDOT, the City of Boston, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the MBTA) were willing to take responsibility. MassDOT had previously committed to fix the sidewalks on the bridge approach and maintain the bike lanes on the bridge in advance of the overall Longfellow Bridge reconstruction. In fact, MassDOT did repaint the bike lanes on the bridge and the crosswalks in Charles Circle recently, although we have yet to see any movement on the sidewalk improvements. We'll be keeping a close eye on the project to see whether MassDOT is really committed to making both the bridge and Charles Circle safer for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Which brings me to the potentially not-so-good news concerning the Accelerated Bridge Program, MassDOT's once-in-a-lifetime $3 billion effort to repair many of the Commonwealth's structurally deficient bridges (including the Longfellow Bridge and many others in the Charles River Basin and around the state). Many of these bridges currently have no or substandard access for bicyclists and pedestrians, even though they are vital connections used daily by thousands. Despite very productive dialogue with the DCR about bicycle and pedestrian access on the Charles River Basin bridges and the need to look beyond the bridges themselves to the intersections and connections, since the bridges were transferred to MassDOT we've been unable to get a clear signal from MassDOT that they would place a similar priority on bicyclists and pedestrians. MassDOT recently suspended work on an effort initiated by the DCR to produce an overall bicycle, pedestrian, and transit plan for the Charles River Basin. At the recent series of meetings around the state about the Accelerated Bridge Program, we've gotten reports that MassDOT spokespeople are backpedaling on the commitment to bicycle and pedestrian improvements, citing time and funding constraints. And at the RTAC meeting this week, Secretary Mullan also mentioned time and funding limitations when asked the extent to which the ABP would address bicycle, pedestrian, and transit needs.

We worked hard to ensure that last year's transportation reform law, which created MassDOT, included commitments to support biking and walking. While we certainly recognize the pressure MassDOT is under to fix the bridges before they collapse, that cannot be an excuse to ignore the law and MassDOT's own policies regarding bicycle and pedestrian accommodation. (See 1996 Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation Law, 2006 Project Development and Design Guide, and 2009 Transportation Reform Act.) Moreover, if MassDOT misses this opportunity, $3 billion will buy us functionally obsolete bridges and it will be another 50-75 years before any major work is done on these bridges again.

We're working directly with MassDOT to get them to do the right thing, but we need you to help us tell them how important these bridges are to you as bikers and walkers. Check our calendar and go to the public meetings on these projects, so MassDOT hears from regular citizens in addition to the professional advocates. And contact MassDOT right now to tell them you want them to make a clear commitment to improving bicycle and pedestrian access on all bridges in the Accelerated Bridge Program, even when that requires doing work outside the footprint of the bridge.

The City of Boston has just announced a major bicycling safety initiative, commencing with a bicycling safety summit next Wednesday, April 21st. MassBike will provide free bicycling safety classes (details below) as part of the initiative, as well as free valet bike parking at the summit.

Read the press release:

Mayor Menino Convenes First-Ever Bicycling Safety Summit

Mayor and City Officials Call for a Shared Respect When Traveling Boston's Roadways and Encourage Helmet Use

Today, Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced the city's first-ever Bicycling Safety Summit at 5:30 PM on Wednesday, April 21 at Boston University's Morse Auditorium. The Summit will gather area bicyclists and high-ranking city officials to discuss ways of improving safety for everyone who uses Boston's roadways. The Mayor's announcement comes in the wake of a third recent bike accident and ahead of Boston Bike Week next month.

This is about the need for a shared, common respect amongst everyone who uses Boston's roads, said Mayor Menino. We have to come together and recognize that everyone is responsible for keeping our roadways safe and that we all have the right to safe passage through our beautiful city. We can start by fulfilling the personal responsibility of wearing a helmet.

Mayor Menino has ordered the Boston Police Department (BPD) to immediately launch a focused enforcement effort aimed at both cyclists and motorists in an effort to assist them to better share the road. Officers will more proactively seek out and fine for safety violations committed by those on a bicycle and those operating a motor vehicle. This effort will include the strict enforcement of Massachusetts laws dedicated to bicycle and pedestrian safety. The BPD is also researching the possible implementation of an enhanced reporting mechanism to document all accidents involving bikes.

Two years ago Mayor Menino developed Boston Bikes to increase cycling safety around Boston through the use of marked bike lanes and various educational campaigns. Since, Boston has seen much improvement including:

the installation of 15 miles of bike lanes with another 20 slated for this year;

the publication of the first-ever Boston Bikes map;

the installation of more than 500 bike racks;

the formation of the Boston Bikes Advisory Board designed to advise city officials on how best to implement proven safety measures such as dedicated bike lanes;

and the passage of a city ordinance making it illegal for cars to be parked in bike lanes, the enforcement of which will be heightened by Boston Transportation Department ticket writers.

In light of the recent accidents, however, city officials encourage people to:

Visit the Boston Bikes fanpage on Facebook or join the Boston Bikes Twitter feed to learn more about the program and share concerns about specific roads in Boston;

Call the Mayor's 24-hour Hotline at (617) 635-4500 if they notice a safety concern that needs immediate attention including roadway obstructions like potholes or debris;

Visit www.massbike.org to register for classes on bicycling safety conducted by MassBike on April 22, May 6 and May 19 at City Hall;

Wear a protective helmet at all times when riding a bike (helmets can be bought for $5 at the Boston Medical Center gift shop);

Come to the Bicycling Safety Summit on Wednesday.

In response to the three recent serious crashes in Boston and in cooperation with the City of Boston's new bicycling safety initiative, MassBike has scheduled additional bicycling safety classes in Boston in April and May. This is a great opportunity to learn the secrets to safe bicycling, for new and experienced urban riders alike. The classes are FREE and open to the public, but pre-registration is required by emailing shane@massbike.org or calling 617-542-2453.

Intro to Bicycling Skills, (a classroom session, 2 hours Free):

Evening classroom session (off-bike) covers bike-safety principles, bicycling laws, guidelines for riding in traffic, and more. You must take one of these classes before you can attend our on-bike classes.

Intro to Bicycling SkillsBoston City Hall, Room 9371 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201Enter at corner of Broadway and ThirdNearest T stop: Government Center on Green and Blue Lines; Haymarket on Orange Line.Enter at Congress St. after 5:30pm, take elevator to 9th floor, then follow signs.MUST RSVP for this class by emailing shane@massbike.org or calling 617-542-2453

More awesome stories from our And I Ride campaign! We are seeking to put a face on cycling in support of a legislative campaign that we are working on this year. You can read the rest of these great stories here.

We are still accepting entries, so be sure to read below to find out how to send in your story.

Our next story comes from Aisha.

Where I Ride: Everywhere I have to go and daily from Jamaica Plain to Dorchester for work How Often I Ride: Every single day that I'm healthy

My Story:

I'm a Community Organizer in Dorchester working with an amazing organization called Close To Home that works to build strong communities to prevent domestic and sexual violence. While we believe that direct service and shelters are necessary we also believe that we have to work to stop abuse and change social norms that allow abuse to be accepted in our society and communities. I'm a resident organizer working with neighbors and their family members and friends to strengthen our community (Fields Corner) and strategize ways to bring community members together and build relationships among them. Relationships are important for broaching difficult topics like domestic and sexual violence and for educating and raising awareness.

I ride a 2008 Schwinn Madison fixed gear. My bike is my most valuable material possession. It's my exercise and my transportation. It helps me feel like part of the environment around me and I'm always happy when I get to work. It definitely helps me unwind and helps me face the day with happiness. I wish everyone I knew could experience the pleasure of riding a bike everyday. Needless to say, I love my bike

Thanks Aisha!

We want to hear your story. Tell us about yourself and how bicycling is a part of your life. Just copy and paste the form below into an email, fill it in, and send it to shane@massbike.org.

Name:

Email:

Where You Ride:

How Often You Ride:

Your Profession/Relation/Title (lawyer, nurse, Grandma, son, etc):

A picture of you on your bicycle, or you in your daily life (be sure we can see your face):

Bicycles will be part of Arlington's Patriots Day parade this year, and we want you to ride with us! This Sunday, April 18th, you can ride down the middle of Massachusetts Avenue in Arlington and show everyone that bicycling is a healthy, green, fun way to get around. It doesn't matter if you are a commuter, a roadie, a fixie rider or whatever - we're all bicyclists! Bring the kids - we're also promoting the Safe Routes to School program, and there will be bike-decorating before the parade.

You can meet up with us at your choice of three locations. Here is the schedule:

Continue the celebration on Monday, April 19th: Free Coffee from Peet's Coffee in Lexington - Anyone with a bike helmet who mentions the "MassBike offer" on Patriots Day can get a free small hot or iced coffee, or apply the price of a small coffee to any other beverage. Offer good only at the Lexington Peet's (a long-time MassBike supporter).

Here comes another interesting bicycle story from our And I Ride campaign. We are seeking to put a face on cycling in support of a legislative campaign that we are working on this year. You can read the rest of these great stories here.

We are still accepting entries, so be sure to read below to find out how to send in your story.

Our next story comes from Alissa.

Where I Ride: All over Boston and Cambridge How Often I Ride: Everyday unless its snowing or below 45

My Story:

I spend 40 hours a week taking care of children. I teach them about life and try to expose them to as much of this world as I can. For most of them I am the only person they know who rides a bike for fun and as transportation, I don't have a car. I hope that every little life I touch can take something from our relationship, be that open mindedness, an ability to be independent and strong or just a sense that they can have fun at any age.

That's awesome Alissa!

We want to hear your story. Tell us about yourself and how bicycling is a part of your life. Just copy and paste the form below into an email, fill it in, and send it to shane@massbike.org.

Name:

Email:

Where You Ride:

How Often You Ride:

Your Profession/Relation/Title (lawyer, nurse, Grandma, son, etc):

A picture of you on your bicycle, or you in your daily life (be sure we can see your face):

Each of us in the bicycling community has been affected by the two collisions of the past two days. We are sad, angry, and scared. Many of us are wondering what we can do.

We, at MassBike, have been working on a new piece a legislation that will help to raise driver awareness of bicyclists and make sure that those motorists that harm us are held accountable. These tragic recent events have only strengthened our conviction that heightened awareness and increased safety are needed.

Currently, Massachusetts law does not adequately deal with motorists who kill or injure vulnerable road users, such as bicyclists and pedestrians. Motorists should have a greater responsibility to protect vulnerable road users than they do to protect other motorists, because vulnerable road users are not protected by two tons of steel, seat belts, crumple zones, and airbags.

Sadly, Bicyclists represent 3% of deaths and 2% of serious injuries, but only 1% of trips. Pedestrians represent 16% of deaths and 5% of serious injuries, but only 4% of trips. This disproportionately high number of deaths and serious injuries for vulnerable road users tells us that greater protections need to be put in place.

A motorist who injures a vulnerable road user faces no punishment unless the victim dies, or is seriously injured, or the motorist is under the influence. There is currently no incentive for motorists to exercise greater caution around vulnerable users than they do around other motorists.

For these reasons, MassBike is working on a new Vulnerable Road Users Bill, aimed at addressing the concerns and needs of those who use the road. We've drafted a bill and our legislative supporters and legal friends are currently reviewing the document. We'll post a copy of the full bill as soon as it is available. Our aim is to increase penalties when the victim is a vulnerable road user, including increased suspension or loss of the motorist's license and community service based around traffic education. We believe that by moving forward with the Vulnerable Road Users Bill we can increase drivers' awareness of bicyclists on the roads, and ultimately, our safety.

There are many ways that you can become involved to help make this bill become a law. We are petitioning bicyclists and pedestrians to let their legislators know that they should co-sponsor the bill when it is introduced into the legislature. The more legislators signed on, the faster the bill will move through the law-making process. We need your help to come out and petition with us on the street. Our upcoming dates are as follows:

You can also collect signatures on your own, by downloading our petition here. For information on how to use the petition effectively, click here.

Finally, if you aren't already, you can become a member of MassBike. We are grass-roots organization, funded mostly by bicyclists like you, concerned about the issues that matter to those of us on the road. We need your help to continue working hard for bicyclists across the state. People in government listen to us because we have the voice of so many cyclists, they will listen more if we can come to them with an even broader coalition of cyclists. Join today to support this and all of our efforts to make cycling safer.

A bicyclist, 22-year-old Eric Michael Hunt, was killed in Boston yesterday in a crash involving an MBTA bus. While the investigation is ongoing, and we do not know the cause or circumstances of this crash, we do know that the intersection where the crash occurred is a mess, with unprotected Green Line tracks in the road, narrow lanes overlapping the tracks, heavy turning traffic, poor sightlines, and lots of on-street parking. And there are lots of bicyclists in the area. In fact, there is a bicyclist in the middle of the intersection in Google Streetview, showing exactly the dangers faced by bikers at that location. We've contacted the City of Boston to open a conversation about that intersection.

Another thing we know is that bus drivers do not always seem to place the highest priority on bicyclist safety, as any biker knows who has been passed too closely and then cut off as the bus swerves to the curb. We think the T needs to have a much stronger program to educate bus drivers how to safely interact with bicyclists, and we've contacted the T's new general manager Richard Davey to urge him to take action (and we offered our assistance to help him do so).

While crashes do happen, when they are caused by bad roads or bad decisions this should be unacceptable to everyone, and we need to make sure that the City of Boston and the MBTA (and more broadly, the Commonwealth, all the municipalities, and all the transit agencies) do more to prevent these tragedies.

Our best wishes go out to Eric's family we will keep you in our thoughts during this trying time.